Corn harvester and binder



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. ARTMANN R' R. RRORRL. CORN HARVESTER AND RINDRR.

Patente 13. 3, 1895.

f Il .uni l I (No Model.)

, v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. ARTMANN 8v R. PROEHL.

CORN HARVESTER AND BINDER.

No. 545,441. .Patented Sept. 3, 1895.

' NM In Weiz Zani* QM t nu e h S .w e e h s 4.L I Hm MD N RT.. PB .m RAR oME. V me TH RN Aw .C R u d 0 M 0 m No. 545,441. Patented Sept. 3.-,1895.

m??? 66666 Zz vezzar '(No Mo'del.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 4.

R. ARTMANN 8u R. PROEHL. CORN HARVESTER AND BINDER 1\I0. 54,5,441.Patented sept. 3,1895.

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WH ass VNITED SleTns` PATENT OFFICE..

RICHARD ARTMANN AND RINHART PROEHL, OF MAPLETON, MINNESOTA.

CORN HARVSTERAND BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part ef Letters Patent No. 545,441,11atedseptember c, Y1895.

' Application filed April 28, 1894:. Serial No. 509.520; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, RICHARD ARTMANN and RINHART PROEHL, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Mapleton, in the county of Blue Earth andState. of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Corn Harvesters and Binders; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, suchas will enable those-skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

Our invention relates to `corn harvesters and binders, and aims toprovide a machine of improved construction whereby the severaloperations of cutting the corn, forming the same into gavels, bindingthe latter, and throwing the completed gavels from the machine can be`performed by mechanical appliances in a rapid and satisfactory mannerand withouty any attention other than that required ofthe driver tothrow the binding mechanism into gear after a sufcient quantity of cornhas been gathered to form a gavel or bundle of required size.

Other objects will appear from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is aperspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with andembodying the vital features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the machine, the outer portion of the platform and reelbeing broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation as seen from the sideprovided with the binding and bundle or gavel forming mechanism. Fig. 4is a side elevation of the needle or binding-arm and the wire-twistingmechanism, showing the end of the needle or bindingarm directly abovethe slotted tube and placing the wire between the teeth of thewire-holding wheel. Fig. 5 is a detal view of the needleor bindingarm,the slotted tube, the wire-holdingwheel, and the Wire-twister. Fig. 6 isa top plan View of the gavel-forming compartment bottom. Fig. 7 is adetail view of the mechanism for throwing the machine in and out ofgear. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the provisions for transmitting motionto the packer-oper ating shaft. Fig. 9 is a detail'view of the clutchmechanism for throwing the binding mechanism in and out of gear. Fig. l0is a `detail View of the rod for throwing the ma# chine in and out ofgear.

The platform A is of substantially a rectnection with the front portionof the platform, and is braced against lateral stress by means of astay-rod d', having pivotal connection at its front end with the tongueand having its rear end bent and engaging a staple or eye a near theouter endof the platform. The doubletree d is connected with the pole inthe yusual manner, and is provided at its ends with singletrees 2, towhich the team for drawing the machine over the field is hitched. Oneend of the platform is provided with a horizontally-disposed endlessapron L and with the cutting apparatus F and the other end with thegavel-forming compartment 3 and the packing and binding mechanism. Apost a rises vertically from the front portion of the platform A. atabout a middle point, and is connected by means of a'horizontal bar 4.with a similarly-disposed rear post 5. upon the bar 4, and a notchedsegment 7c is secured to the said bar 4t and is engaged by a hand-latchla', provided on a lever K, which is connected by means of 'a rod k2with a swinging frame composed of bars I and I', having pivotalconnection at their lower ends with the post a. On operating the lever Kthe said frame I I is moved upon its pivotal support to bring the reel isupported thereby more or less directly over the carrier or apron L tothrow the corn to the required position upon the said apron. The reel c"is of ordinaryconstruction, and its shaft t' is journaled in the saidswinging frame and is provided with a sprocket-wheel i2, by means ofwhich power is transmitted to the reel-shaft for operating the reel.

Uprights or standards 6 rise vertically from the front portion of theplatform and corresponding uprights 7 project vertically from the rearportion. Between these uprights is formed the compartment 3, whichconstitutes the gavel or bundle forming compartment.

The drivers seat N is mounted IOO A vertical wall T connects theuprights 7 and forms the rear closure, the outer side being closed by agate es and a wall S, the bottom Q curving upward and closing the frontside of the said compartment. The front curved portion of the bottom Qis provided with a series of slots q, through which operate a series ofpackers p5, mounted upon a bar p3, which has its ends reduced andworking in 1o slots p4 in side bars 9. The packer-shaft P is jonrnaledat its ends in the standards 6 and has a crank portion p, connected by apitman p2 with the bar 193, so as to reciprocate the latter in the slotsof the bars 9. A sprocketwheelpG is xed upon the outer end of thepacker-shaft and is connected by a sprocketchain p7 with asprocket-wheel r on the shaft R to transmit movement to the lattershaftv when it is required to throw the binding zo mechanism into activeoperation. A bevelpinion p on the inner end of the packer-shaft I is inmesh with a corresponding bevel-pinion o on the front end of a shaft O,which is journaled in the inner standards 6 and 7 and which has asprocket-wheel o on its rear end to be engaged by the drive-chain bu.

An upwardly-inclined apron M extends from the inner end of the apron Lto the upper portion of the gevel-compartment 3, and

3o its purpose is to supply the corn to the latter compartment in theformation of the gavels or bundles. This apron M is driven by means of asprocket-wheel m on the rear end of a shaft m, extending parallel withthe shaft O,

and around which sprocket-wheel passes the drive-chain bu. 4The frontend of the shaft 'm has a bevelpinion m2, which meshes with abevel-pinion h2 on the end of a short shaft 1I, which is journaled inthe posts a', anda 4o block 10, fastened to a brace 11. A sprocketpinionh, fastened upon the shaft H, is connected by means of a sprocket-chainh with the sprocket-wheel i2, thereby transmitting motion to the reel inthe operation of the machine.

A short shaft b2, extending parallel with the shafts O and m, has asprocket-wheel bm on its rear end, around which passes the drivechain b,and upon the inner end portion of 5o which is mounted a bevetpinion b tomesh with a bevel-gearing b on the side of the drive or ground wheel B.A clutch b3 is adapted to move upon the shaft b2 and throw the machinein and out of gear by gearing or ungearing the bevel-pinion b with theshaft b2, as will be readily understood. A spring b4 is provided tonormally hold the clutch in gear. A rod 67 has a crank portion h6, whichis connected by means of a shipper-arm b5 with the 6o clutch,and whichhas its upper end extending within convenient reach of the drivers seatand bent outward, as shown at ha, to be engaged by a hooked catch bfwhen it is required rto hold the clutch out of gear. When the clutch isin gear, the drive-chain b will be actuated and drive the severalsprocket wheels m', o, blo, and Z, the latter being on the end of ashaft by means of which the endless apron L is operated.

The cutting apparatus is provided in sets and disposed to correspondtothe relative position of the rows of stalks, so as to cut two rows atthe same time, each set comprising two oppositely-disposed knives ofsimilar construction and formed of acurved bladefand a straight braceportion f', the straight brace portions extending in parallel relationand the curved blades being beveled to a knifeedge and flaring outwardlyfrom the rear to the front ends. A shield or guard G is disposed at theinner front corner of the apron L and prevents the lodgment of stalksagainst the post a. Curved bars or rods Z2 are attached at theirlower'ends to the rear portion of the platform A and curve upwardly andfor wardly, and are designed to engage with the upper ends of the stalksand retard their movement, whereby the'butt-ends are caused to advanceso that the stalks will be deposited in the gaveling-compartrnent withthe buttends opposite the gate w8. There may be as many of these rods Z2as desired to attain the required result. Usually two will besufficient.

In order to raise and lower the front end of the platform, a lever E isprovided and connected at one end by a rod e with the tongue or pole D,and is equipped with a spring-actuated latch c2 to engage with a notchedsegment e', secured to a standard l2, said latch being connected withthe hand-lever e4 through the wire or rod e3. On operating the handlevere4 the lever E is released and can be adjusted to secure the requiredelevation of the front end of the platform, as will be readilyappreciated.

The binding and wire-twisting mechanisms IOO are disposed at that end ofthe machine having the gaveling-compartment, the wire-twistingprovisions being located to the rear of the wall T and being reached bythe needle or binding-'arm U through an opening t in the lower portionof the said wall T. The needle or binding-arm U is curved, and isprovided with a longitudinal passage u8 in its free end portion for thepassage of the binding-wire u, the latter passing through aseries ot'guideeyes @t7 on the rear edgeof the binding-arm and wound upon a reelor spool 11,5,journaled upon a support @t4 on a projecting portionu ofthe binding-arm U. This binding-arm is pivotally supported at u2, and isadapted to operate through a slot n3 in the bottom Q of the gavelingcompartment. A pitman u connects the projecting portion u with a wristpin rio on a mutilated gear-wheel T7, mounted upon the shaft R. Thisgear-wheel T7 has cog-teeth T8 on its peripheral edge to engage with apinion-s and cog-teeth r9 on its side at a dametrically-opposite pointto engage with cogteeth c on a mutilated gear-wheel V, mounted upon ashort shaft fo', to the inner or front end of which is attached anapproximately U-shapcd ejectorfframe '02, which is adapted to operatethrough a substantially U-shaped slot o3 in the bottom of thegaveling-compartment. The upper face of the ejector-frame is beveled andcomes about iiush with the top'side of the bottom Q, as shown at o4. Oneside of the ejector-frame is extended to provide an arm '05, which isconnected by means of a chain o6 with an arm o7, attached to the gate08, whereby the latter is opened simultaneously with the movement of theejector-frame to throw the gavel or bound bundle from the compartlnent.This gate is hinged at its lower end upon a rod 13 in any desiredmanner, the ends of the said rod being extended to receive thc coils 14of a wire bent to form a nearly U-shaped spring n10, which bearsagainstthe gate o8 and normally holds the latter closed. The hinge-joint v9between the gate and the frame of the machine may be providedin any ofthe usual ways, so long as it will admit of the gate swinging downwardand outward from the upper end.

On the end of the shaft R is txed a mutilated gear-Wheel fr?, having twocogged portions rs r9, the former being on part of the periphery and thelatter on part 0f the side. The cogged portion rs engages a gear-wheels, having a bevel-gear s integral with it, the said bevel-gear meshingwith a bevel gearwheel s2, mounted on a spindle s3 and driving agear-pinion s4, which in turn drives a gearwheel 55, meshing with apinion s6 ou a spindle S7, upon which is fixed a gear-wheel ss and awire-holdin g wheel S9, provided at equal intervals on its peripherywith double teeth S10, as shown most clearly in Fig..5. This wheel S9rotates partly in a tube s, open on the side opposite the wheel s". andprovided on one side with a curved cutting-edge S12 at its upper end.The gear-wheel s8 drives a pinion S13, mounted upon a twister-shaft s,which carries a wire-twister S15 at its front end, the extremities ofthe wire-twister being curved or hooked in the direction of the rotationof the wire-twister to engage with the strands of the wire-loops andtwist the latter in the operation of binding the gavels.

' When the machine is in active service, the operation lof its componentparts may be brieliy stated as follows: The machine is drawn over theiield inthe manner set forth, so that the knives will straddle the rowsand sever the stalks, which latter will fall upon the apron L, the topsreaching beyond and striking the inclined or curved rods Z2, which tendto throw the said top portionsof the stalks in a direction opposite tothe travel of the aprons L and M, whilethe latter carry the butts of thestalks in the direction of the serting it between a pair of the teeth510 on the wheel sg and then rotating the latter until the wire iscaught in the tube. As they bindinglarm U is swung below the floor orbottom of the gavelingcompartment, the wire will extend from the tube tothe end of the arm and will rest uponv the said floor. The packers,therefore, will force the corn on top of the wire, and when thebinding-arm U is thrown up and toward the twister itwill compress thegavel and draw the wire around `the bundle, the wire being unreeled fromthe spool a5 and hanging in a loop at the end of the binding-arm whenthe latter is immediately over the tube su. This loop is caught by thedouble teeth 510 on the wheel s9,`and the wire is drawn down into thetube by the rotation of said wheel si. .At the same time the twister isrevolved, one of its hooked ends catching the upper portion of the wire,while the other hooked end will catch the lower portion of the wire,whereby the wires are twisted together. By this time the wheel 89 willhave rotated so far that the loop of wire will be drawn well into thetube su andthe strain on the wire over the sharp edge S12 of the saidtube will be suicient to cut the wire. The end of. the wire from thespool is, however, retained by the teeth sloot the wheel s, as there isno strain on this wire, the wire unwinding from the spool as thebinding-arm swings back to its normal position, while at the same timethe ejector-frame is swung upward and forward, rising through theopening in the ioor or bottom Q and forcing the completed gavel from themachine, the door fus being opened simultaneously with the operation ofthe ejector-framel by means of the chain o6, the said 'door closing onthe return of the frame to a normal position by means of the spring v10.It will be observed that the clutch b3 may be coupled or uncoupled bythe driver by means of the rod bl, and when coupled the reel, the twoaprons, and the packers are put in operation by the forward movement ofthe machine through the tield. The binding and twisting mechanism,however,'is onlyputin motion when desired by the driver, who presses hisfoot upon the treadlelever r, which is connected by means of a chain 'r5to a shipper-lever r3, pivotedY at r4 and having engagement with theclutch 'r' on the shaft R, whereby the latter is driven from thepacker-shaft P. The clutch r is normally held out of engagement with thesprocket-pinion-rby means of a spring r2 on the outer end of the shaftR.

In adapting the invention to the various styles of machines to attainthe desired result it is manifest that changes in the form, proportion,and the minnor details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isl 1. In acorn harvester, thecombination of a ICO IIO

4 54m/ii platform having at one end a cutting apparatus, a reel, and ahorizontally-disposed traveling apron, and at the opposite. end agavelforming compartment having a floor curved upwardly at its front endand provided with a series of slots, a bar having packers to operatethrough the said slots, actuating mechanism for the said packers,abinding arm adapted to operate through a slot in the said bottom, awire-twisting mechanism arranged eX- terior to the gavel-formingcompartment, an ejector arranged to operate through an opening in thedoor of the compartment and moved `by the packer actuating mechanism, agate closing an opening in the side of the aforesaid compartment, aspring for normally holding the gate closed, and connections between thesaid gate and the ejector, whereby the two operate simultaneously,substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

2. In a corn harvester, the combination with the platform'and agavel-forming and binding mechanism at one end of the platform, of acutting apparatus at thel opposite end of the platform, a travelingapron disposed in the rear of the cutting apparatus, and bars arrangedto engage with the top ends of the stalks and tilt the latter, wherebythe butt ends are caused to advance toward the gavelforming and bindingprovisions, substantially as set forth.

3. In a corn harvester, thecombination With the platform having agavel-forming and binding mechanism at one end, of a cutting apparatusat the opposite end of the platform, a traveling apron located in therear of the cutting apparatus, a reel disposed to operate directly abovethe traveling apron, and bars arranged to co-operate with the reel andapron to reverse the position of the stalks and cause the latter toadvance butt end foremost toward the gavel-forming and bindingmechanism, substantially as specified.

4. In a corn harvester, the combination with a platform having a cuttingapparatus and traveling aprons, of a gavel-forming compartment having abottom, or floor, curved upwardly at its front end and provided with aseries of slots, a packer arranged to operate through the slots, abinding arm to move upward through the bottom of the compartment, awire-twisting mechanism inthe rear and exterior to the said compartment,a gate, or door, closing an opening in the side of the compartment, andan ejector adapted to operate through an opening in the door of thecompartment and operatively connected with the gate, whereby the saidparts operate in unison, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a corn harvester, the combination with a platform provided withcutting apparatus andtraveling aprons, of a gaveLforming compartmenthaving its bottom curved upwardly on its front side and provided withslots, a bar lprovided with a series of packers to operate through thesaid slots, a binding mechanism, a door, or gate, closing an opening inthe side of the compartment, an approximately U-shaped ejector framehaving its upper portion normally closing a slot in the bottom of thecompartment, and actuating means for the said ejector frame and gate,whereby these parts are operated at the same time to throw the bundlefrom the machine, substantially as set forth.

6. The herein-specified corn harvester and binder, comprising a platformhaving a gavelforming compartment at one end and the cutting apparatusat the opposite end, traveling aprons to convey the stalks to thecompartment, a reel adjustably mounted over the horizontal apron, rodsarranged in the rear of the apron and adapted to engage with the tops ofthe stalks and cause the latter to advan ce butt end foremost to thecompartment, a wire-twisting mechanism arranged in the rear of thecompartment, and comprising a slotted tube having a cutting edge, a wireholder, and a twister, the latter having hooked ends, a binding armadapted to operate through a slot in the bottom of the compartment andthrough an opening in the rear wall of the said compartment to reach thewire twisting mechanism, packers disposed to. operate through slots inthe front curved end of the compartment bottom, a door closing anopening in the side of the compartment, an ejector frame operativelyconnected with the door, and constructed to normally close a slot in thebottom of the compartment, actuating mechanism for the ejector frame,binding arm and twistingl mechanism operatively connected with thepacker driving mechanism, and a clutch under the control of the driverto throw the binding mechanism in gear when required, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

RICHARD ARTMANN. RINl-IART PROEIIL.

Vitnesses:

LoUIs FEEsER, Jr., HENRY RocHA'r.

ICO

